Wire stretcher



0. ANDERSON WIRE STRETCHER Nov. 3, 1931;

Filed Aug. 27, 1928 r w m mn m 0 NJ m5 H Y O T. 0%

Patented Nov. 3, 1931 l 2.;

UNIT ATE5 OTTO ANDERSON, F POULSBO, -WASHINGTON WIRE srnnronnn Application fi1er1 August 27 1928. Serial No. 302,260.

My present invention relates to an improved wire stretcher of the single throw lever, step by step type, employing a draw bar and rack bar and utilizing an anchoring member such as a fence post for stretching the wire or wires of a fence. 'The primary ob ject of the invention is the provision of a device of this type that may be operated with but slight expenditure of energy to exert a strong pull for stretching the wire, and which may with facility be reieased and detached after having performed in usual manner its functions of tightening or stretching the wire. The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherev in the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. 7

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the implement in use. Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly broken away, showing the pawl and rack device. Figure 3 is an edge view of the portion of the device in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a plan view of the wire holder.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the release key for the pawls. Figure 6 is a view showing by dotted and full lines the range of movement of the release key.

In order that the general arrangement and relation of parts may readily be understood I have indicated a fence post as P to which the anchoring chain C for the implement is looped, and the wire holder, indicated as a whole by the numeral 4 is attached to the end of the wire W, to be stretched or pulled tight, by the draw bar 1. The draw bar 1 has an operating lever 2 disposed normally at right angles thereto, and a rack bar 3 is located between the draw bar 1 and the anchoring loop or chain 0 which passes throughan opening or slot 5 in the end of the rack bar. The rack bar has a doube row of teeth on its opposite edges and is fashioned with a central,

longitudinally extending slot 6 through which the fulcrum pin 7 of the lever passes, said pin also being'retained in openings therefore in the yoke or forked head 8 of the drawbarl.

At opposite sides of the rackbar, for coaction with its double row of teeth, are pivoted a pair of opposed pawls 9 and 10, each I having a pivot 11 spaced equidistant at the sides of the fulcrum 7 of the lever, and each pawl carries a release spring 12 anchored at 13 on the pawljnear its pivot. These springs extend out beyond the free ends of the pawls and are held by retaining lugs 14: on the pawls near the pivots. The free ends of the springs, are bent. to form cam bars 15 that cross one another behind the cam portion 16 of a re lease key 17 that is journaled to turn in the yoke or head-8 of the draw bar and is provided' with a handle 18. The two pawls are connected by a cross spring 19 that exerts resilient pull on the pawls to hold them in contaetrwith the teeth or racks of the rack cam portion 16 to the dotted position inFig ure 2, andas this eam portionrides against the cam bars 1'5.of the springs 12 the pawls are separated so that only one pawl at a time engages the rack bar. Thus by. swinging the lever to the right and left and-pulling. the draw bar to .the right, the pawls may he stepped to relatively move the draw bar and rack bar, guide lugs 20 being provided on the rack bar at the sides of the draw bar to guide these parts.

The wire holder 4 that is carried at the end of the draw bar is composed of two jaws 21 and 22 that are hinged at 23 and their angular ends are linked to the end of the draw bar by links 24.

Near the hinge of the jaws the holder is provided with an integral lug 25 on the inner edge of one of the jaws, and on the edge of the other jaw a block 26 is pivoted for adjustment. This block is of angular shape, pivoted at 27 near the edge of the jaw, and

at opposite, parallel sides, the block is provided with grooves 28 and 29 in its edges. These grooves are of different sizes and the block may be turned to present either of the grooves to the fixed lug of the other jaw. Thus the end of the wire W is laid in one of the grooves and the two hinged jaws brought together to close the lug on the wire, after which the extremity of the wire is bent as indicated in Figure 4.

The pull on the links 24 as the draw bar is moved to the left, swings the free ends of the jaws toward the center of the line of the pull, and as the pull increases the frictional engagement of the jaws with the wire is increased,.thussecurely'holding the end of the wire as the latter is being stretched by the step by step movement of the lever on its fulcrumand the action, of the pawls on the rack bar.

On Figure 4 in dotted lines the position of the jaws is indicated for adjusting the block and. attaching the end of the wire to the holder. After the strain or pull on the holder has been released, and after the end of the stretched wire has been secured to the post P, the bent end ofthe wire may be read ily released by moving the holder to dotted position in Figure 4.

lVhile I have referred to the implement as awire stretcher for use in building or erecting fences, itwill'be understood that the implement is adapted for various other uses.

Having thus fully described my invention what I. claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination with a longitudinally slotteddouble rack bar and a draw bar having-a yoke head, of a lever and a pivot pin therefor supported in the head and passing through said slot, a pawl'pivoted to the lever at. opposite sides of the fulcrum pivot, a spring, connecting the pawls, a spring arm carried by each pawl and having a bent camend, a. turnable key journa-led in the yoke head, and a cam on said'key for co-action with said cam ends to spread the arms for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OTTO ANDERSON. 

